Nah Sang Hyun, a member of indie group Mr. Nah Band, has denied recent allegations of sexual misconduct, following a public apology that initially seemed to acknowledge wrongdoing.
In early May, a post surfaced on an online community claiming that Nah Sang Hyun had inappropriately touched a woman during a drinking gathering. The anonymous writer alleged, “He pretended to be drunk and touched the woman’s thigh. If the woman was actually drunk, he kept his hand there. If she wasn’t and called him out, he’d act surprised and say it was a mistake.” The post continued, “I’m sharing everything I’ve experienced or heard. I’m being vague to avoid being identified. I’m sorry. This happened in a private setting, so I don’t have proof.”
Despite the lack of physical evidence, the accuser specifically named Nah Sang Hyun, which led to growing concern among fans and netizens. Online users refrained from hasty judgments, instead closely monitoring the situation. On May 23, Nah Sang Hyun addressed the issue personally through X (formerly Twitter).
“I sincerely apologize for the delayed response,” he wrote. “First and foremost, I would like to apologize to the author of the post, and to anyone who may have felt discomfort or distress due to my past actions.”
Nah Sang Hyun continued, “Due to the nature of the incident and my intoxicated state at the time, my memory is unclear. I deeply regret causing harm and apologize for not addressing this earlier. If the author is open to it, I would appreciate the opportunity to offer a personal apology. Please refrain from any secondary harm toward the individual involved.”
He added that he had been working on self-reflection and behavior improvement for the past 3 to 4 years, with support from those around him. “I will continue to reflect and ensure that something like this never happens again,” he stated.
However, on June 2, his agency, JANUARY released a separate statement, taking a more assertive stance and denying the allegations.
“We apologize for the confusion and discomfort caused by recent online posts about our artist Nah Sang Hyun,” the company stated. “We also sincerely apologize for the delay in our official response due to internal mismanagement.”
A company representative explained that Nah Sang Hyun’s initial statement was issued preemptively, even before facts were confirmed, due to a personal belief in taking ethical responsibility. “His intention was to acknowledge the pain expressed and avoid silence in the face of allegations,” the agency said.
“After thoroughly reviewing the situation, we clarify that the incident described in the post is not true,” they emphasized. The agency further explained that Nah’s reference to his drinking habits was meant to describe a past effort to improve his lifestyle—not to admit to misconduct. “We now realize that this expression may have caused misunderstandings. We deeply apologize for the confusion caused by our attempt to communicate sincerity without sufficient explanation.”
The statement concluded with a renewed apology and a warning against baseless speculation. “We sincerely apologize to fans and all those affected by our missteps,” it read. “We respectfully ask the public to refrain from spreading unverified claims or defamatory remarks against the members of Mr. Nah Band. We have retained legal counsel and are preparing appropriate measures to prevent further harm.”
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